Ten minutes of awkward conversation later, and Starlight was ready to move on. And by that she mean`t get away from Prince Blueblood.
She coughed slightly. "Do you want to go ahead, and you know, move around?"
Prince Blueblood snickered. "Fast one aren`t you? Okay, I want to warn you though I just finished eating."
Starlight sat there blinking for a few seconds, not getting it. What does he mean-"That`s not what I mean`t! I mean`t, um, going to the ballroom." she said quickly, her face turning warm.
"Ah, yes, that`s a good idea too." Blueblood sighed, a bit sad.
Pervert! Starlight thought, getting up, and bringing her punch with her.
"So, do you know how to dance?" Prince Blueblood asked as they were approaching the entrance.
Starlight snorted. "Colt, please, I can cut up a rug anywhere! I mean yes." she added after seeing the aghast look on Blueblood`s face.
"Darling, if you want to be a proper princess, you have to stop that distgusting slang!"
Before Starlight could think of a witty retort, they entered the ballroom. It was relaxingly dim with paper lanterns and candles illuminating the room. Heaps of yummy food on buffet tables lay around the edges of the big dance floor which was in the middle of the room, with the crowd of ponies who weren`t on the dance floor.
"It looks rather lovely in here, doesn`t it?" Prince Blueblood commented.
"Yes, it does." Starlight said absentmindly. She was frantically searching around the room for an escape. Starlight spotted Rarity, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash coming towards them. I`m saved!
"Uh, I`m going to go say hi to them." Starlight muttered, and started to walk towards them.
Prince Blueblood shrugged. "Well, I`ll go see my mother." He spit the word out as if it tasted bad on his tongue.
Starlight watched him walk off, before trotting over to her friends. "Are you enjoying the party, dear?" Rarity asked after they had greeted each other.
She sighed, her ears flattening. "No. I`ve been stuck with HIM"-she swung her horn in the direction of Blueblood-"most of the evening."
"Uh, I know how that feels." Rarity said, glaring in his direction. "I spent the last gala trying to impress him. Trust me, honey, he`s a waste of time!"
"I don`t think you understand. He`s into me. I do not have any feelings for him though."
"I know how that feels." Pinkie Pie said, appearing beside Starlight.
Starlight jumped back, surprised. "You do?" Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight all said in unison, wearing triple faces of disbelief.
"Noooo...." Pinkie said, disappearing back into the crowd.
"Annnywaaaay," Rainbow Dash began, rolling her eyes as she watched Pinkie go. "I say you give him the old shove. Tell him you`re not interested and to leave you alone."
"That seems a bit harsh," Starlight pointed out. "I don`t want to be rude."
Rainbow shrugged. "Do you want to get rid of him?"
Before Starlight could respond, Prince Blueblood himself came over. "I am so sorry that took so long. Good evening ladies." He said to Rainbow Dash and Twilight, and then shifted his gaze to Rarity. "Rarity."
"Blueblood." Rarity said with a bored look on her face.
Prince Blueblood turned to Starlight. "Shall we dance, darling?"
"Stop calling me that!" Starlight snapped.
"I`ll take that as a yes." He said, and began to gently push her by the shoulder to the dance floor. Starlight craned her neck back and mouthed "Help me".
But her friends had already been swallowed up by the crowd.
**************************
It felt like a million years since Starlight had stopped moving her poor hooves. She was pretty sure Prince Blueblood had danced her through six songs already. Starlight hated to admit it, but he was actually a good dancer.
"I need to go and rest my hooves." Starlight wheezed out.
"Well, I suppose we cannot dance all evening." Prince Blueblood sighed sadly. He put out his lip. "But just one more song?"
"Oh, no you don`t!" A female bat pony exclaimed, swooping down from somewhere. She began to push Prince Blueblood who was complaining loudly, but wasn`t resisting, to the other side of the dace floor. She turned her head back and winked at Starlight before continuing her flight.
Thanks....? Starlight thought as she watched them go with a half-relieved half-amused expression. She walked off the dance floor and found a chair.
She sat down and began to slowly massage her hooves, wincing now and then. Starlight got up, and hovered a few inches from the ground, looking around the room. I wonder where my family is...
"Um, Princess Starlight?" She looked up to see Thunderlane approaching her.
Starlight stopped hovering, and her hooves touched the ground. "Oh, hi! And you can just call me Starlight."
"Do you want to dance Prin-Starlight?" Thunderlane asked, holding out a hoof.
Her heart rate seemed to go faster and she suddenly felt very giddy. "Yes, I`d like that." she said, and put her hoof in his hoof.
They walked back onto the dance floor. The jaunty swinging dance had turned into a slow, rather romantic waltz. I`m glad this dress covers the gash on my leg. Starlight thought, suddenly very self-conscious.
She put both hooves on Thunderlane`s shoulders, and he put his hooves around her middle and wings, and then they began to dance. "Do you dance much?" Starlight asked after a moment.
Thunderlane shrugged as best as he could with her hooves on his shoulders. "Not really. Too busy flying."
"Well, you are very good!" Starlight exclaimed as he twirled her.
"Thanks!" Thunderlane said, smiling. "Um, can I ask you a personal question?"
Where is this going... Starlight thought. "Of course!"
"What exactly is your special talent? I couldn`t tell from your cutiemark." He asked.
Starlight flattened her ears slightly. Why the hay does everypony ask me that question?! "It really is a combination of talents. I`m really good at writing, even though that may not show, and I guess spreading love. Honestly, I haven`t figured it out myself." She forced a chuckle.
"That`s really interesting. I wish there was more to my cutiemark than beats the eye. All I`m good at is flying."
"Oh, I`m sure there is more to you than that." Starlight said, and looked into Thunderlane`s eyes. Their eyes met, and she moved her head closer to him. He too moved, and their lips were barely an inch apart from each other-
"Stop it right there!" somepony screamed.
Oh, come on! she inwardly sighed. Starlight reluctantly pulled away from Thunderlane, and turned to see Luna jump up on a nearby table. "The night shall last forever! And I, NIGHTMARE MOON, shall ensure that the night shall last forever by KILLING CELESTIA!" Maniacal laughter followed this proclamation.
Of course everything went crazy after that announcement, and Celestia herself fainted. Starlight turned back to Thunderlane. "I have to-"
"I know, be careful." He said.
Starlight nodded, and ran across the room towards the princess, thinking, I can`t even get one night off!